Thrift Schooling

 Well, science is a wrap for the past school year and I am extremely pleased with how well Friendly Physical Science from Timberdoodle worked out out for us. My teenage son worked through this diligently and consistently scored 90% and above on his tests. I am not the type of homeschool mom that teaches for tests, but the format of this particular program worked well for my son. He is task driven and the way this course is set up helps him to properly understand the material and prepare for the tests. Plus, I would hear him spout off information throughout the year in practical situations—which is key for a physical science course.  Some science classes are over my kids' heads and I need to be there to explain everything in detail. I don't mind it because it lends to quality conversations and questions, but with this one particular son, he learns best on his own. I often find him reading non-fiction books and then working on what he learned from that book on his own. It is ju...

  Is homeschool organization a struggle for you? I am the type of person that can become busy as a bee finding a place for everything but getting the kids to understand my system is what becomes the chore. Maybe you find yourself keeping the curriculum organized (to an extent) and all of your homeschool supplies in the general vicinity of where you want them to be only to step foot into your child's bedroom to be greeted with swimsuits from last summer, dirty clothes, and a mountain of toys. The kids' bedrooms seem to be the challenge of most homeschool moms and for good reason—the kids are home. These rooms are lived in. In between subjects or even during school, bedrooms in a homeschool home can become a mom's worst nightmare.  To help ease the struggle, a quick, simple, and easy way to organize those bulky stuffed animals that can take up so much space and cause a tremendous amount of clutter is to use a stuffed animal hammock .  These are great. My kids love having th...

  My youngest son told me the other day that he was going to be an artist. Scratch that. That he is an artist. He then proceeded to take every single art supply in the home and begin to create, and create, and create. It was at this point that I realized I needed to begin to add structure to his art lessons. When a child expresses an interest in something, it is best to provide him with the tools needed to learn. All of my kids are crafty in one way or another and have each found a way to have productive hobbies that produce something beneficial in the end, but they all needed to be taught the basics. Over the years I have introduced different arts-based curriculum into our homeschool including See the Light  and Artistic Pursuits  which are an excellent way to add structure to art in your homeschool.  I also enjoy to have art supplies on hand to use with these programs or for my children to explore the arts on their own. Art contests occasionally pop up in the homes...

Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Karen Kingsbury,  Someone Like You  is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story. Shocking news hits after young architect Dawson Gage loses his best friend, London Quinn. Now in his heartbreak, Dawson is compelled to launch an impossible search for London’s secret twin sister, twins separated as embryos. But along the way, Dawson never planned to fall in love. Someone Like You  will be releasing in theaters starting on April 2. I have had the opportunity to hear her speak on two separate occasions and she is incredible. Once at a women's conference and once at a debut event for a previous film. She is kind, sweet, and a memorable speaker. I am excited to see that another one of her books has been turned into a film and will be hitting the big screen soon! Check out the trailer:

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  Does geography tend to get left out of your homeschooling? Sometimes I assume we have gone over certain concepts, only to find that repetition makes perfect. Reviewing basic geography concepts is always a great idea and the  Skill Sharpeners: Geography: Grade 2  which is part of the  Timberdoodle Second Grade Kit  has been working well to achieve this in our homeschool.  This homeschool resource is filled with over a hundred pages of geography activities that include the following: Reading Selections Vocabulary Visual Literacy What I Learned Hands-on Activities Use as a stand alone geography course or in addition to your current course load. My favorite aspect of this book are the hands-on activities. With young active boys in the home I am always eagerly seeking out hands-on curriculum for every single subject. From science to math to reading, and, yes, even geography, my boys are active and need the cutting, pasting, and tactile actions to help them to ...

  There is a point in learning when it just seems to click. I am at that point with my youngest which thrills my heart as a home educator. As the youngest of five, I have always included him in the lessons but this is the one year where he is eager to have work of his own that (in his mind) matches the level of his older siblings.  Daily 6-Trait Writing Grade 1  part of Timberdoodle's First Grade Kit  mimics a book that his older brother is currently working through. They each have their own book geared toward their own levels. In the front of the book, you find a scoring rubric, based on the six traits writing model to assess your student's writing. This is the perfect model for parents hesitant about grading or scoring their student's writing material, even in other subjects. This works as an excellent framework, or foundation, in a child's writing. The six traits include: 1. Ideas 2. Organization 3. Word Choice 4. Sentence Fluency 5. Voice 6. Conventions ...